Combined water and air pump unit



D812- 22, 1931- J, YOUNG 1,837,937

COMBINED WATER AND AIR PUMP UNIT Filed March 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 F I E I a --i o E S w 1, ,5 x 2 fi- 2 2 /4 4 5 4 a 6. g l0 1 4 l i l l l i Z d I, 2

6 l5 ,4 e 3 Jr FIG fut 6x75? Dec. 22, 1931. J. YOUNG 1,837,937

COMBINED WATER AND AIR PUMP UNIT Filed March 11, 1931 2 Sheets-$heet 2 i p and above the pump casing.

I heating. installation.

Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs JOHN YOUNG, or Yoxnn, eras/cow. assronor. zro nnrsnm um rm, man, or enaseow, scornm COHBINE'D WATER AND an. rm UNIT Application fled Hal-ch11. 1981, Serial 30. 881,778, and in Great Irltaln larch 14, 1880.

The present invention relates to umping units including a water pump an an air pump. Units according to the invention are especially intended for use in vacuum steam heating installations.

In steam heating installations it is common practice to return the condensed steam to a receiver which is maintained at a vacuum, and to withdraw air from this receiver by an air pump and the condensate by a water-extractionpump. The air and water are sometimes however withdrawn by one and the same pump. The condensate may be raised in pressure by the pump which withdraws it to a value suflicient to return it to a hot well at atmospheric pressure or to the heating steam boiler (which works at a suitable pressure).

The present invention consists in a construction and arrangement of pumping unit adapted to deal with the condensed steam and accompanyingair of a vacuum steam The unit includes a centrifugal water-extraction pump, a rotary water-ring dry air pump, a receiver for the condensate with accompanying air, and

connections and accessories as are necessary or desirable. The invention will be defined in. the annexed claims, but it may here be said-to give a clear idea of the nature of pump rotor are carried on a vertical spindle-the same spindle: The water pump impeller is arranged below the air pump rotor: The admission to the water pump impeller is at the top thereof: The admission to the air pump rotor is at the top thereof. (2) The pump casing is closed at the bottom: There is no spindle gland there.

(3) A bearing is provided'for the spindle between the water pump impeller and the air pump rotor, and another bearing outside (4) The electric motor or other driving means is above the pump proper.

(5) The receiver structure has its greatest dimension vertical: It is arranged alongside the pump casing and fixed (e. g. by bolts) thereto: It comprises a main chamber and a supplementary chamber above it: A floatcontrolled valve is rovided in the supplementary chamber: his valve controls the flow of water from the supplementary chamber to the main chamber.

(6) The air-suction pipe for the air pump from the top of the main chamber of the receiver, the air-discharge pipe from the air pump to the supplementary chamber, and the sealing water supply pipe to the. air pump all pass through the main chamber of the receiver: They communicate with the pump casing at the place where the receiver structure is connected to the pump casin For clearness and to prevent misun erstandmg it will here be explained that by a pump of the rotary water-ring type is meant a pump in whichthe rotor rotates in a chamber generally of circular section eccentric to the axis of the rotor. The rotor 18 formed or rovided with radiatin vanes. Water (or ot or liquid) is held wit in the airump chamber." By-the tractive action of t e rotor vanes this water rotates within the casin it tends to follow the contour of the cham r; and it is of such amount that in part of the casing it does not (when the pump is in action) extend inwards as far as the roots of the vanes, so that spaces are left between continguous vanes and the envelopmg water. Suitable air admission and air discharge ports are provided whereby air is admitted to these mtervane spaces where they are increasing in ca acity, and discharged therefrom where t ey are contracti H the action being well known.

9 accompanying drawings illustrate the carrying of the invention into efiect in one convenient manner.

' Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the ma chine.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the pump structure with the driving motor and the support for it removed.

The air and water pumps are arranged in the same casing a. The water pump impeller c and the air pump rotor d are carried b the same spindle b. This spindle is vertica It be seen that the water-extraction impeller is located below the water-ring air pump rotor. e is the suction port of the water pump and 15 the water admission passage to the impeller of the same. This .passage, it will be seen, leads to the top of the impeller. f is the suction port'to the rotor-of the air pump and 16 the admission passage, to this rotor. This admission passage, it will be seen, leads to the top of the rotor.

The spindle b terminates Just below the water-extraction impeller: There is no stufling box-or openin in the casing a at the bottom thereof, A hearing it is provided ,for the spindle between the water-extraction 1mpeller and the air pump rotor. The spindle pgsses out of the casing through a stufling x k. Another bearing m is provided for the spindle above the stufiing box. Above this bearing m the spindle 18 coupled, at 16, to the shaft of the driving means. a

The driving means in the present instance consists of an electric motor 11.. The pump casing is provided with an upward extension 0 furnished with a flange p to whieh the motor is bolted. 1 r

The-receiver for the condensate 1s m a receiver structure 9 of which the greatest dimension is vertical. Itis supported from the pump casingand is rigidly connected thereto, e. g. by bolts.. This structure (inthe present example of they execution of the invention) encloses a mainchamber- 'r and a\c hamber above it, which will be called the supplementary-chamber. The receiver structure 1s(1n the present example) vof cylindrical form with vertical axis and with a domed tofp.

In the supplementary chamber is a out c which controls a needle valve w which in turn controls a passage: as leading'from the supplementary chamber to the receiving chamber. zis a vent for discharging the air delivered by the air pump to atmosphere. This vent is provided with a non-return valve when the pump is controlled by an automatic float or vacuum-operated switch.

The connections between the receiver structure and the-"pump casing are four in number.

1. The water admission port 2 from the receiver chamber to the water-extraction pum suction 0. This port 2 is located near the ttom but not preoisely-at'the bottom of the receiver chamber. The portion '3 of the receiver chamber below the port acts as a sump or trap for collecting sludge and other material liable to damage the pump.

ar. and extending through the same, the upr p61 wild: opening mt ,5- intothat chamber at the top thereof while the lower endnf the pipeiszconneetedzatpahq suctiorizpertifi ofi'the air arrthpspumpeefiinggniass ,P; 6 .sforttheeain pnmpidischfirges Th [BBQ-{1 slamseam structure: Its upper en I claim as new and desire to the air pump delivery port 17 in the pump opens into the supplementary chamber. This pipe passes through the receiver chamber without communicating with it. (The air is discharged toatmosphere through the air vent 2).

4. A pipe 7 for supplying the sealin wav ter to the water-ring pump. This pipe also passes through the receiver chamber without communicating with it. Its upper end opens into the supplementary chamber while the lower end is connected by the passage 18 to the air pump suction in the pump casing.

The electric motor 'n employed-in the present example is controlled by a float 10 located inthe receiver chamber. A rod 11 from this float (in the present construction) passes centrally upwards through the receiver chamber and supplementary chamber to a switch device 12 at the top of the latter chamber (outside the receiver structure) which device controls the electric motor. No novelty is claimed for this switch device. It is of known construction. It functions such that the motor starts when the water level in the receiver chamber reaches a pre-determined height and stops when the water falls again to a pre-determined level.

The switblrinstead of; or in addition to be ing actuated by a float, may be operated by means ofa spring-loaded diaphragm, which automatically cuts in the motor starter when the vacuum in the receiver has fallen below a pre-determined value.

The water-extraction pump is arranged with delivery ports 13, 14 on either side so that the unit is without hand; that is, it can be fitted to left or right hand pipe arrangements.

The driving means may be other than an electric motor. A steam turbine might be employed withadvantage in some cases.

The construction according to the present invention, by the free support of the motor on an upward extension piece of the pump casing avoids any chance of malalignment between motor and pump caused by expansion in the hot pipe returns or otherwise. The vertical disposition of pump and receiver structures allows of the apparatus occupying minimum space. The carrying of the pipes 4, 6. and 7 through the receiver, as described, avoids air leakage; and the number of joints exposed to atmosphere is reduced to a minimum. The base area being small, the loss of heat by contact area to the floor is reduced to a minimum, and loss of heat is also reduced by the elimina- 2. A stand pipe 4 within the receiver chamtion of outside pipes. The construction is conducive to theapplication of lagging in a for the water pump and the air pump, a spindle passing vertically through this casing, the casing being closed below the lower end of the spindle, an impeller for the water pump within the said casing constructed for water admission at its top, the impeller being mounted on the said spindle, a rotor for the air pump within the said casing constructed for air admission at its top, this rotor being mounted on the said spindle above the said impeller, a bearing for the, spindle between the said impeller and the said rotor, a receiver structure separate from the said casing, said receiver structure comprising a main chamber, and a supplementary chamber above the said main chamber, a float-controlled valve in the said supplementary chamber arranged to control the flow therefrom into the said main chamber, an air-suction pipe for the air pump leading from the top of the said main chamber and connected to the air pump, an air-discharge pipe from the air pump discharging into the said supplementary chamber, a sealing-water-supply pipe leading from the said supplementary chamber and connected to the air ump.

2. A combinedwater an air pump unit comprising in combination, a single casing for the water pump and the air pump, a spindle passing vertically through this casing, the-casing being closed below the lower end of the spindle, an impeller for the water pump Within the said casing constructed for water-admission at its top, the impeller being mounted on the said spindle, a rotor for the air pump within the said casing con structed for air admission at its top, this rotor being mounted on the said spindle above the said impeller, a bearing for the spindle between the said impeller and the said rotor, a receiver structure separate from the said casing, said receiver structure comprising a main chamber, and a supplementary chamber above the said main chamber, a float-controlled valve in the said supplementary chamber arranged to control the flow therefrom into the said main chamber, an air-suction pipe for the air ump leading from the top of the said main 0 amber and extending downwards through the whole length of the said chamber and connected to the air pump, an air-discharge pipe from the air pump extending upwards through the whole length of the said main chamber and discharging into the said supplementary chamber, a sealingwater-supply pipe leading from the said supplementary chamber and extending downwards through the whole length of the said main chamber and connected to the air pump.

3. A combined water and air pump unit comprising in combination, a single casing for the water pump and the air pump, a spindle passing vertically through this casing, the casing being closed below the lower end of the spindle, an impeller for the water pump within the said casin constructed for water-admission at its top, t e impeller being mounted on the said spindle, a rotor for the air pump within the said casing constructed for air admission at its top, this rotor being mounted on the said spindleabove the said impeller, a bearing for the spindle between the said impeller and the said rotor, a re ceiver structure separate from the said casing, said receiver structure comprising a main chamber, and a supplementary chamber above the said main chamber, a floatcontrolled valve in the said supplementary chamber arranged to control the flowtherefrom into the said main chamber, an airsuction pipe for the air pump leading from the top of the said main chamber and connected to the air pump, an air-discharge pipe from the air pump discharging into the said supplementary chamber, a sealingwater-supply pipe leading from the said supplementary chamber and connected to the air air-suction pipe and the said air-discharge pipe.

4. A combinedwater and air pump unit comprising in combination, a single casing, for the Water pump and the air pump, a

spindle passing vertically through this casing, the casing being closed below the lower end of the spindle, an impeller for the water pump within the said casin constructed for water-admission at its top, t e impeller being mounted on the said spindle, a rotor-for the air pump within the said casingconstructed for air admission at its top, this rotor being mounted on the said spindle above thesaid impeller, a bearing for the s indle between the said impeller and -the said rotor, a receiver structure, ofwhic-h the greatest dimension is vertical, separate from the said casing, said receiver structure comprising a main chamber, and a supplementary chamber above the said main chamber, a float-controlled valve in the said supplementary chamber arranged to control the flow therefrom into the said main chamber, an air-' suction pipe for the air pump leading from the top of the said main chamber and connected to the air pump, an air-discharge pipe from the air pump discharging into the said supplementary chamber, a sealing-watersupply pipe'leading from the said supplementary chamber and connected to the air pump.

5. A combined water and air pump unit comprising in combination, a single casing for the water pump and the air pump, a spindle passing vertically throughthis casing, the casing being closed below the lower end of the spindle, an impeller for. the water pump within the said casing constructed for water-admission at its top, the impeller being mounted on the said spindle, a rotor for the air pump within the said casing constructed amp at the same place as the said for air admission at its to this rotor'bein mounted on the said spin e above the said impeller, a bearing for the spindle between the said impeller and the said rotor, a receiver 5 structure, of which the greatest dimension is vertical, separate from the said casing, said receiver structure comprising a main chamher, and a supplementary chamber above the said main chamber, a float-controlled valve in the said supplementary chamber arranged to control the flow therefrom into the said main chamber, an air-suction pipe for the air pump leading from the top of the said main chamber and extending downwards through the wholelen h of the saidflchamber and connected to t 'e'air"pump, an air-discharge pipe from theair pump extending upwards through the whole length of the said main chamber and discharging into the said su plementary chamber, a sealing-water-supp y pipe leading from the said supplementar chamber and extending downwards through the whole length of the said main chamber and connected to the air pump.

6. A combined water and air pump unit comprisingin combination, a single casing for the water pump 'and the air pump, a spindle passing vertically through this casing, the casing being closed below the lower end of the spindle, an impeller for the water pump within the said casing constructed for water-admission at its top, the impeller be ing mounted on the said spindle, a rotor for the air pump within the said casing constructed for air admission at its top, this rotor being mounted on the said spindle above the said impeller, a bearing for the spindle between the said im Her and the said rotor, driving means for t e said spindle above the said casing, a receiver structure separate from the said casing, said receiver structure comprising a main chamber, and a supplementary chamber above the said main chamber, a float-controlled valve in the said su plementary chamber arranged to contro the flow therefrom into the said main chamber, an air-suction pipe for the air pump leading from the top of the said main chamber and connected to the air pump, an air-discharge pipe from the air pump discharging into the said supplementary chamber, a sealingwater-supply pipe leading from the said supplementary chamber and connected to the air P mp- I hereby sign my name 30 this s ification.

OHN UNG. I 

